Double-intake system of SHS will fail — MP

The Member of Parliament (MP) for the Shai-Osudoku Constituency in the Greater Accra Region, Mrs Linda Akweley Obenewaa Ocloo, has said the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government was going to seriously disappoint and disturb Ghanaians with the intended introduction of the double-intake system of the free senior high school (SHS) programme.

She asked: “What preparations at all has the government made for the introduction of the new programme which is going to disturb the already faulty start of the free SHS since last academic year?”

The MP said the NPP government had nothing good to offer in education to the country but rather they were only rushing the programme just to fulfil the manifesto promise of their party and not what would benefit the Ghanaian populace.

She noted that what was very important for the government to do in the interest of the whole country was to complete all the infrastructural projects started all over the country by the Mahama-led National Democratic Congress (NDC) government.

According to her, even the programme which was started last year was done in a rush, hence the serious congestions in the various SHSs because the schools lacked infrastructure to accommodate the large intake of 90,000 students the previous year, asking: “How are we going to contain 180,000? We are going from frying pan to fire.”

Choirs’ Union

The lawmaker made the remarks when she addressed the Dangme–Tongu Presbytery Choirs’ Union at its 45th anniversary conference held at Mount Zion Congregation of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana at Dodowa last Sunday.

The four–day programme was on the theme: “Let the earth hear the voices that proclaim God’s message.”

The Dangme-Tongu Presbytery, with its headquarters at Odumase-Krobo, is made up of 16 districts and 46 choirs.

Take a second look

Mrs Ocloo said the double-intake system of the SHS that the government intended rolling out in September should be evaluated in order not to destroy the future of the youth who were the hope of the country.

According to the MP, there was nothing concrete in terms of financial preparation for the double-intake system in the mid-year review budget that the Finance Minister presented to Parliament recently. She asked: “Where will the government get the money for the programme when the budget has not captured it?’’

She also suggested to the government to implement its promise of one million dollar per constituency as was stated in the party’s manifesto.

The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Shai–Osudoku, Mr Daniel Akufo, in his remarks earlier at the opening of the conference urged parents and guardians to take advantage of the double-intake system of the free SHS programme to educate their children.

The Dangme-Tongu Presbytery Chairperson, Rev. Samuel Atteh Odjelua, in his sermon entreated members of the choirs’ union to be one another’s keeper.